A while ago I talked about Fringe. I mentioned that The Psychic Olivia was a dropped plot point. It's been 3 episodes, and they've picked it back up- just like I mentioned they'd done before. And they invented a whole new bucket of bullshit for the viewer to choke down, thinly disguised as "creepy" and "dramatic".
What I'd like to add is two points:
First, in the big mystery of episode 17, the viewer easily makes the connections about 3-5 minutes before the characters in the show make them- which is stupid and bad writing, in my opinion. It's one thing to let the viewer in on it from the jump; or to let the viewer make the connection a few seconds before the characters. It's an entirely other matter for the characters to have no clue, get one more piece of information and then magically jump to the same conclusion the viewers- who haven't been made aware of anything other than what the characters know- have already surmised.
Second, the ending of episode 17 means one of two (I'll include a third just to cover my ass) things. Either, the good Crazy Doctor has had his memory messed with (which I think they've alluded to, and suggested he might have done it to himself); or the writers seriously think anyone is buying their tacked on bullshit. That second possibility isn't quite as remote as it may first seem. It could be the writers going "Oh, hey! Great idea, what if we add in all this stuff to kinda tie things in and make it creepy and mysterious?" And no one catching how/that it makes earlier episodes inconsistent. Or it could be there's an actual meta-plot and it's that ridiculous.
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Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
SOUTHLAND, Part II
Watched Southland, episode 2, today. There's not much to say, that I haven't already said. It's crap, recycled at best. Bleeping curse words to add edginess, a cop who "[thinks she] made a mistake" with her own kid and baby-daddy putting it all on the line for an imperfect family, nice guy cops trying to do the right thing while the system- uncaring- refuses. Probably won't watch the third episode, but we'll see- certainly don't expect it to be any better.
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Friday, April 17, 2009
Polls are for lulz
Go read this article on why you should never trust anything that allows anonymous internet voting- like ratings of music or videos- and how /b/ made marblecake also the game the most influential 21 people on Time.com.
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Thursday, April 16, 2009
Suicide is Painless
That's the title of the opening theme for MASH, written by Johnny Mandel with lyrics by (the then 14) Mike Altman. It comes from the Movie. Painless Pole- a dentist- declares his intention to commit suicide. They have a mock funeral, and the song is sung in the background. "Suicide is Painless, it brings on many changes, and I can take or leave it if I please."
Suicide has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My grandpa's brother killed himself in Texas during his twenties. Another of his brothers killed himself after getting some bad medical news- he was in his eighties. I remember being young, and vaguely understanding why a relative was sitting on a different couch with their wrists covered.
"Through early morning fog I see visions of the things to be, the pains that are withheld for me. I realize and I can see..."
When I was in High School, I was on a drug called Accutane for acne. Though it's unclear if Accutane actually causes suicidal/clinical depressions, my own experience seems to indicate that it does. I took aspirins- and a lucky thing, too; that quantity of Tylenol would have killed me.
I remember thinking about my grandpa, my dog, and how the deaths of my dad (when I was 12), and my grandpa (when I was 7), had hurt terribly. Children shouldn't have to deal with death. In my mind, it all seemed very unfair. I was 15 and stupid; and that fucked up sense of entitlement meant a trip to the ER, a drink of Charcoal, and a night in the Pediatric ICU.
"The only way to win is cheat, And lay it down before I'm beat, and to another give my seat- for that's the only painless feat."
I had terrible migraines while on Accutane. Full blown grand mal brain seizures, or so it felt. Everything would get fuzzy and weird. My vision would tunnel, until I could barely see anything- everything coated in dense gray static. Then the headache, the nausea, the sensitivity to light, sound, movement, and tastes. I learned quickly to expect the night of vomiting.
I've never had migraines, except during the time I took Accutane; but even then they were uncommon. I had one within a few months of when I stopped taking it. The migraines say to me that the drugs screwed with my brain chemistry. I firmly believe that Accutane took me from depressed to suicidal- it's something I have to believe, for my own sake.
"A brave man once requested me to answer questions that are key, is it to be or not to be; and I replied 'oh why ask me?'"
I've heard lots about Samurai, and Ancient Romans/Greeks/Egyptians. People always bring up the Burning Monk (or some other "heroic" suicide or attempt), or the terminally ill. I always consider what these things imply, and what they mean to me and in my view.
In societies with strictly regimented honor codes- like the Samurai- there are always "suicide clauses." I see them as pressure release valves for the people who can't cut it, or who are too dangerous. In the South of Modern America there can be some strict social mores; but I wouldn't call them strictly regimented. The pressure release valve here is discretion- "out of sight, out of mind"- or moving somewhere else (Key West, Miami, New Orleans, San Fran, New York, LA, etc etc). Committing suicide to get away from them would be something like killing a cockroach with a howitzer.
As for "Heroic Suicides", I see that as pretentious grand standing at best, and ill conceived stupidity, motivated by anger, more often. Regardless, it's the biggest oxymoron I've ever encountered. In the case of the Burning Monk, he was making a point, and he made it big- but he never made another one. I wonder how many others thought they were doing the same, but no one remembers today.
The terminally ill have a right to decide they want to die with dignity, instead of suffering through months of agony in a hospital bed. That doesn't excuse selfish, otherwise healthy, thirty/twenty somethings or teenagers from trying to take what they see as "the easy way" out. Cowardice is cowardice, shameful and repugnant- especially when it's stupid. A terminally ill cancer patient may find asphyxiation less unpleasant than slowly dying as their insides rot; but to think that suicide is actually "painless" or "easy" is nothing more than stupid: death hurts.
"The sword of time will pierce our skins. It doesn't hurt when it begins; But as it works its way on in, The pain grows stronger...watch it grin"
Suicide is many things. What it always is, what it can't not be, is selfish. Ignoring the emotional pain death inflicts on the survivors goes beyond stupid and uncaring. It implies the statement: "My current pain is worse than anyone else's pain, for the rest of their life, at the loss of me." It's one thing for someone dying of Huntington's Disease to talk about their choice with friends and family, come to an understanding that there is nothing else they can do continue living without suffering terribly, and then take some poison. It's another to hunker alone, unthinking, drowning in self pity, and try to swallow a bullet.
Consider my death.
There are people I know who would forget me within a year or two. There are a few who would still think about me 5 or 10 years down the road. Maybe even one or two people I'm not related to who would remember me as long as they live. My family would never forget. Many of them would blame themselves, increasing their stress levels- rightly or wrongly. My four year old nephew would experience the death of his favorite uncle. I know what growing up with an intimate knowledge of death is like, I'd rather he didn't. I think it would drive my sisters apart, but it might bring them closer together- which might be worse. My mother would freak out. I'd hate to think how my grandma would react.
But I wouldn't care- hard to do that, dead.
Except whatever else I think, I'd like to be remembered fondly, instead of with pity. I really hate pity.
Instead of taking the coward's escape, I can get away for a while, reading a book or watching a television show (even one I hate). I can go fly a kite or hunt for worms with my nephew. I can go online and read something funny, or watch beautiful people do beautifully disgusting things to each other. I can listen to a comedian, or go hangout with friends (or just in a public place).
And if that doesn't work, I could call:
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
The National Suicide Prevention Hopeline 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)
Fuck going out easy, anyway; I'd rather do it the hard way and laugh at everyone else when I finish regardless.
Read More...
Suicide has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My grandpa's brother killed himself in Texas during his twenties. Another of his brothers killed himself after getting some bad medical news- he was in his eighties. I remember being young, and vaguely understanding why a relative was sitting on a different couch with their wrists covered.
"Through early morning fog I see visions of the things to be, the pains that are withheld for me. I realize and I can see..."
When I was in High School, I was on a drug called Accutane for acne. Though it's unclear if Accutane actually causes suicidal/clinical depressions, my own experience seems to indicate that it does. I took aspirins- and a lucky thing, too; that quantity of Tylenol would have killed me.
I remember thinking about my grandpa, my dog, and how the deaths of my dad (when I was 12), and my grandpa (when I was 7), had hurt terribly. Children shouldn't have to deal with death. In my mind, it all seemed very unfair. I was 15 and stupid; and that fucked up sense of entitlement meant a trip to the ER, a drink of Charcoal, and a night in the Pediatric ICU.
"The only way to win is cheat, And lay it down before I'm beat, and to another give my seat- for that's the only painless feat."
I had terrible migraines while on Accutane. Full blown grand mal brain seizures, or so it felt. Everything would get fuzzy and weird. My vision would tunnel, until I could barely see anything- everything coated in dense gray static. Then the headache, the nausea, the sensitivity to light, sound, movement, and tastes. I learned quickly to expect the night of vomiting.
I've never had migraines, except during the time I took Accutane; but even then they were uncommon. I had one within a few months of when I stopped taking it. The migraines say to me that the drugs screwed with my brain chemistry. I firmly believe that Accutane took me from depressed to suicidal- it's something I have to believe, for my own sake.
"A brave man once requested me to answer questions that are key, is it to be or not to be; and I replied 'oh why ask me?'"
I've heard lots about Samurai, and Ancient Romans/Greeks/Egyptians. People always bring up the Burning Monk (or some other "heroic" suicide or attempt), or the terminally ill. I always consider what these things imply, and what they mean to me and in my view.
In societies with strictly regimented honor codes- like the Samurai- there are always "suicide clauses." I see them as pressure release valves for the people who can't cut it, or who are too dangerous. In the South of Modern America there can be some strict social mores; but I wouldn't call them strictly regimented. The pressure release valve here is discretion- "out of sight, out of mind"- or moving somewhere else (Key West, Miami, New Orleans, San Fran, New York, LA, etc etc). Committing suicide to get away from them would be something like killing a cockroach with a howitzer.
As for "Heroic Suicides", I see that as pretentious grand standing at best, and ill conceived stupidity, motivated by anger, more often. Regardless, it's the biggest oxymoron I've ever encountered. In the case of the Burning Monk, he was making a point, and he made it big- but he never made another one. I wonder how many others thought they were doing the same, but no one remembers today.
The terminally ill have a right to decide they want to die with dignity, instead of suffering through months of agony in a hospital bed. That doesn't excuse selfish, otherwise healthy, thirty/twenty somethings or teenagers from trying to take what they see as "the easy way" out. Cowardice is cowardice, shameful and repugnant- especially when it's stupid. A terminally ill cancer patient may find asphyxiation less unpleasant than slowly dying as their insides rot; but to think that suicide is actually "painless" or "easy" is nothing more than stupid: death hurts.
"The sword of time will pierce our skins. It doesn't hurt when it begins; But as it works its way on in, The pain grows stronger...watch it grin"
Suicide is many things. What it always is, what it can't not be, is selfish. Ignoring the emotional pain death inflicts on the survivors goes beyond stupid and uncaring. It implies the statement: "My current pain is worse than anyone else's pain, for the rest of their life, at the loss of me." It's one thing for someone dying of Huntington's Disease to talk about their choice with friends and family, come to an understanding that there is nothing else they can do continue living without suffering terribly, and then take some poison. It's another to hunker alone, unthinking, drowning in self pity, and try to swallow a bullet.
Consider my death.
There are people I know who would forget me within a year or two. There are a few who would still think about me 5 or 10 years down the road. Maybe even one or two people I'm not related to who would remember me as long as they live. My family would never forget. Many of them would blame themselves, increasing their stress levels- rightly or wrongly. My four year old nephew would experience the death of his favorite uncle. I know what growing up with an intimate knowledge of death is like, I'd rather he didn't. I think it would drive my sisters apart, but it might bring them closer together- which might be worse. My mother would freak out. I'd hate to think how my grandma would react.
But I wouldn't care- hard to do that, dead.
Except whatever else I think, I'd like to be remembered fondly, instead of with pity. I really hate pity.
Instead of taking the coward's escape, I can get away for a while, reading a book or watching a television show (even one I hate). I can go fly a kite or hunt for worms with my nephew. I can go online and read something funny, or watch beautiful people do beautifully disgusting things to each other. I can listen to a comedian, or go hangout with friends (or just in a public place).
And if that doesn't work, I could call:
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
The National Suicide Prevention Hopeline 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)
Fuck going out easy, anyway; I'd rather do it the hard way and laugh at everyone else when I finish regardless.
Read More...
Your TV Shows
Fringe is such a stupid show. There is nothing redeeming about it. It's not sci-fi, because science fiction would imply some sort of actual science. It's more like modern fantasy- wild conjectures with very loose, very badly strung together, science facts used to, I guess, try and explain things.
They take it right up to the edge, and let the viewer make the conclusions. The acting is good, sometimes, but mostly it's too "serious" to actually be serious. They're not trying to be as campy as they are. It's got all the great hallmarks of horror/thriller sci-fi, and I think that's why I watch it.
I wouldn't recommend anyone else attempt it. Fringe is truly crap-tastic. But years of less than B slasher flicks, zombie fests, and monster movies keep me viewing. Just like all those horrible examples of "entertainment" (read: train wrecks), the creators obvious intend one reaction, and miserably fail.
If they accepted that despite their big budgets, their great special effects, and their sleek look/marketing, they were just shitty camp horror, it would suck even more. But throwing the lady with the robotic arm in with the mad (read: crazy) scientist who was researching every single bit of the latest and greatest in cutting edge science, 30 years ago, doesn't make it sci-fi.
What irks me is, if someone tried to write this shit, they'd be laughed at. Not because it's stupid, which it is, not because it's childish and predictable, which it is; but because it glories in the dumbest, worst, most throw together hodge-podge of "plots" that ever got rejected- and it does it without the slightest bit of irony.
There's talent in the pool that creates each episode; but it still can't overcome being absolute shit.
Plot points that were about to happen, then completely dropped, ignored, and never mentioned again:
* The Psychic Olivia. Episode 14 revealed Olivia was a powerful psychic able to control electronic devices. Then there was a long break, and in two episodes it has never been mentioned again. Instead there's the romantic angle of who is Peter romantically interested in: Olivia or her sister? Hint: It will be Olivia, as was thoroughly demonstrated in episode 14. (That is, assuming consistency is in anyway important to the writers- a big assumption that has no evidence to support it in the 16 episodes so far.)
* The Cyborg Lady. Sure, she's been in other episodes, and has shown disturbing interest in Olivia- which we can assume has something to do with her Psychic abilities. But there's been no more about cybernetics, and we've gone two episodes without hide nor hair of her or her ominous megacorp.
* The Hairless Man. He's a gimmick ("See him in every episode!"), a shitty Where's Waldo where the camera tends to settle on the hidden person, to underline that he's "secret" or "important" or just because this is a prime example of stupidity and hodge-podge. More importantly, though he is in episode 14, and in a VERY unsurprising role, all the geniuses and investigators, who have all discussed/encountered him before never ONCE mention him when they meet a kid who is also hairless and "important". They've shot their wad with him, in a way, having had a full episode devoted to him; but that's bad planning, in my opinion, and so I consider him a dropped plot point.
* The Roguish Villian. Charming, star of City of Lost Children, and with an English accent, he was prominent in the episodes leading up to the break. Since then? Not even a mention of an off-camera hunt for him.
And that's the thing, innit:
1) No one is surprised, in the least bit, when they somehow try to tie a plot point back to something else- inventing a bunch of information that must be shoveled at the viewer like so much thought manure. Some of these plots are being PURPOSEFULLY ignored, at the moment, because hiding the obvious 4 episodes down the line makes it "smart", "savy", or in some other way, not obvious. (Uhm.... Hint: No it doesn't.)
2) All it would take, to force Olivia and Walter out of their Mary Sue status, and make the whole fucking show about a million times better, is to insert some throw-away lines about off-camera investigations. And guess what that would do? Allow the production staff to make web-based games, or text stories, or just blogs, for viewers (I hesitate to think anyone would actually be a "fan" of this drivel) to go exploring. In other words, it would allow them to move into the digital, interactive, internet age. (And you just KNOW the kind of people who like this shit are the weirdo internet conspiracy kooks who all think it's a fucking documentary- and all fo whom are avid members of ONLINE communities.)
Sense some hostility on my end? You might be a psychic- [insert irony here]- or it might be that I'm jealous people can write such sub-puerile bullshit and make a hella good living off it.
UPDATE: MEALWORMS ARE MEALWORMS, PUSHING THEM UP FROM A "CORPSE" AND CALLING THEM "MONSTER LARVAE" DOESN'T MAKE THEM NOT-MEALWORMS! (Technically, Mealworm Beetle Larvae.) Stupid, over-done, unsurprising, and shit-tastic. With as big a budget as they must have, you'd think they could use something other than standard horror staples as larvae for their "monster". Not to mention how stupid the whole concept is, scientifically speaking.
Read More...
They take it right up to the edge, and let the viewer make the conclusions. The acting is good, sometimes, but mostly it's too "serious" to actually be serious. They're not trying to be as campy as they are. It's got all the great hallmarks of horror/thriller sci-fi, and I think that's why I watch it.
I wouldn't recommend anyone else attempt it. Fringe is truly crap-tastic. But years of less than B slasher flicks, zombie fests, and monster movies keep me viewing. Just like all those horrible examples of "entertainment" (read: train wrecks), the creators obvious intend one reaction, and miserably fail.
If they accepted that despite their big budgets, their great special effects, and their sleek look/marketing, they were just shitty camp horror, it would suck even more. But throwing the lady with the robotic arm in with the mad (read: crazy) scientist who was researching every single bit of the latest and greatest in cutting edge science, 30 years ago, doesn't make it sci-fi.
What irks me is, if someone tried to write this shit, they'd be laughed at. Not because it's stupid, which it is, not because it's childish and predictable, which it is; but because it glories in the dumbest, worst, most throw together hodge-podge of "plots" that ever got rejected- and it does it without the slightest bit of irony.
There's talent in the pool that creates each episode; but it still can't overcome being absolute shit.
Plot points that were about to happen, then completely dropped, ignored, and never mentioned again:
* The Psychic Olivia. Episode 14 revealed Olivia was a powerful psychic able to control electronic devices. Then there was a long break, and in two episodes it has never been mentioned again. Instead there's the romantic angle of who is Peter romantically interested in: Olivia or her sister? Hint: It will be Olivia, as was thoroughly demonstrated in episode 14. (That is, assuming consistency is in anyway important to the writers- a big assumption that has no evidence to support it in the 16 episodes so far.)
* The Cyborg Lady. Sure, she's been in other episodes, and has shown disturbing interest in Olivia- which we can assume has something to do with her Psychic abilities. But there's been no more about cybernetics, and we've gone two episodes without hide nor hair of her or her ominous megacorp.
* The Hairless Man. He's a gimmick ("See him in every episode!"), a shitty Where's Waldo where the camera tends to settle on the hidden person, to underline that he's "secret" or "important" or just because this is a prime example of stupidity and hodge-podge. More importantly, though he is in episode 14, and in a VERY unsurprising role, all the geniuses and investigators, who have all discussed/encountered him before never ONCE mention him when they meet a kid who is also hairless and "important". They've shot their wad with him, in a way, having had a full episode devoted to him; but that's bad planning, in my opinion, and so I consider him a dropped plot point.
* The Roguish Villian. Charming, star of City of Lost Children, and with an English accent, he was prominent in the episodes leading up to the break. Since then? Not even a mention of an off-camera hunt for him.
And that's the thing, innit:
1) No one is surprised, in the least bit, when they somehow try to tie a plot point back to something else- inventing a bunch of information that must be shoveled at the viewer like so much thought manure. Some of these plots are being PURPOSEFULLY ignored, at the moment, because hiding the obvious 4 episodes down the line makes it "smart", "savy", or in some other way, not obvious. (Uhm.... Hint: No it doesn't.)
2) All it would take, to force Olivia and Walter out of their Mary Sue status, and make the whole fucking show about a million times better, is to insert some throw-away lines about off-camera investigations. And guess what that would do? Allow the production staff to make web-based games, or text stories, or just blogs, for viewers (I hesitate to think anyone would actually be a "fan" of this drivel) to go exploring. In other words, it would allow them to move into the digital, interactive, internet age. (And you just KNOW the kind of people who like this shit are the weirdo internet conspiracy kooks who all think it's a fucking documentary- and all fo whom are avid members of ONLINE communities.)
Sense some hostility on my end? You might be a psychic- [insert irony here]- or it might be that I'm jealous people can write such sub-puerile bullshit and make a hella good living off it.
UPDATE: MEALWORMS ARE MEALWORMS, PUSHING THEM UP FROM A "CORPSE" AND CALLING THEM "MONSTER LARVAE" DOESN'T MAKE THEM NOT-MEALWORMS! (Technically, Mealworm Beetle Larvae.) Stupid, over-done, unsurprising, and shit-tastic. With as big a budget as they must have, you'd think they could use something other than standard horror staples as larvae for their "monster". Not to mention how stupid the whole concept is, scientifically speaking.
Read More...
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Your TV Shows
Dear Mr. Television Writer,
Waiting three episodes, or thirty, doesn't make the obvious any less so.
Jealously,
-Me
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Waiting three episodes, or thirty, doesn't make the obvious any less so.
Jealously,
-Me
Read More...
Friday, April 10, 2009
The New Dick-shun-ary
Weekend - (n) (1) the time when real life always conspires to keep you from enjoying the only two-four days you're not supposed to be working. (2) when most accidental babies are made. (3) Usually the two days in the week when the most stuff, and the least productivity, happen.
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Tuesday, April 07, 2009
26 Seconds
Cool:
(And something we should all have known, understanding fluids and densities and buoyancy, but probably hadn't put together)
(Spotted over at BoingBoing)
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(And something we should all have known, understanding fluids and densities and buoyancy, but probably hadn't put together)
(Spotted over at BoingBoing)
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NoGodTube
In response to GodTube, and problems with YouTube (votebotting, flagbotting, etc) resulting in harassment and banning (with subsequent reinstatement), there is now NoGodTube.
[Personally, I would suggest atheists, agnostics, and others interested in using the site, also put their videos on YouTube, but encourage linking and embedding to NoGodTube. This way, we still have a voice in how the YouTube community continues to evolve, and we also have a place where our videos will be easy to find and available to anyone interested.]
So, in honor of the new site, I give you the following discussion between Blair Scott and Leonard Adams, recorded in February of 2008, about Black Atheists.
/>
Parts 2 and 3 (along with the URLs to all three) are below the fold...
/>
/>
http://nogodtube.com/play.php?vid=128
http://nogodtube.com/play.php?vid=130
http://nogodtube.com/play.php?vid=131
Very interesting talk. Blair is a lot of things- Director, Founder, User of Shitty English Accents- leave him some comments, reviews, and feedback.
Read More...
[Personally, I would suggest atheists, agnostics, and others interested in using the site, also put their videos on YouTube, but encourage linking and embedding to NoGodTube. This way, we still have a voice in how the YouTube community continues to evolve, and we also have a place where our videos will be easy to find and available to anyone interested.]
So, in honor of the new site, I give you the following discussion between Blair Scott and Leonard Adams, recorded in February of 2008, about Black Atheists.
/>
Parts 2 and 3 (along with the URLs to all three) are below the fold...
/>
/>
http://nogodtube.com/play.php?vid=128
http://nogodtube.com/play.php?vid=130
http://nogodtube.com/play.php?vid=131
Very interesting talk. Blair is a lot of things- Director, Founder, User of Shitty English Accents- leave him some comments, reviews, and feedback.
Read More...
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